The

Leader
in Asian
Food
From food service to retail,
we carry thousands of
private and national branded
products that cover every
major Asian cuisine.

CONTENTs

Delivering
A Taste of Home
Rhee Bros is a leader in Asian food wholesale
and distribution. From food service to retail, we
carry thousands of private and national branded
products that cover every major Asian cuisine.

04

Our History

05

CEO Message

06

Mission Vision Values

07

International Sourcing Network

08

Core Strengths

10

Our Customers

12

Brands

14

Products

24

Retail Affiliates

04

The Leader
in Asian Food

the rhee bros

difference

Delivering a taste of home, is more

than our motto; it's our philosophy.
From food service to retail,
we carry thousands of
private and national branded

CEO message

products that cover every

major Asian cuisine.

Our customers are very important to

us. They are why we exist.
Rhee Bros was founded to provide a taste of
home to families who immigrated to the US.
Life can be very difficult in a different country for
those living abroad, away from friends and family.
We provide a connection to home by offering our
customers the food that they remember and love.
With this in mind, we are always looking for new
ways to put our customers first and welcome
them into our family. Delivering a taste of home
is not only our motto but who we are.

Our History

From humble beginnings to

international partnerships...
In 1968, Syngman Steve Rhee never dreamed
that he would someday head a successful food
business. His plan was to study political science
for a few years in Washington DC and then return
to Korea to pursue his political ambitions.
Everything changed when Mr. Rhee found himself
holding multiple jobs to support his family. He
contacted his mother in Korea to ask for financial
assistance. To his surprise, instead of cash, he
received a shipment of dried squid and a note
to sell the squid for money. After his initial shock
wore off, he did as his mother suggested. The
squid sold out immediately. Needless to say, he
asked his mother for another shipment and the
idea of Rhee Bros was born.
In 1976, Mr. Rhee, along with his three brothers,
formally started Rhee Bros in suburban
Maryland to serve the growing Korean immigrant
population there. At the time, Korea, still
recovering from the Korean War, was one of the
poorest countries in the world. Since Korean

food manufacturing and branding was still in

its infancy, Mr. Rhee began with products from
Japan, a more developed country.
While traveling throughout Japan, Mr. Rhees
understanding of the food business expanded,
particularly the importance of branding products.
Branding techniques served as a great inspiration
to Mr. Rhee, who later applied this knowledge
in Korea with Rhee Bros flagship Assi brand.
With the expansion of signature brands and
successful partnerships, Rhee Bros distribution
network grew to cover the entire US and over 30
countries internationally.
In 1989, Rhee Bros began a retail affiliate
relationship to sell Rhee Bros products at
Lotte Plaza, an Asian supermarket chain in the
Washington/Baltimore metropolitan area. A retail
relationship with Assi Plaza, which has stores
across the country, followed. Today, both chains
have a combined eleven stores throughout the
US that proudly carry Rhee Bros products to
millions of customers every year.

As we enter the next chapter in our history, we

are excited to meet the demands of a changing
market. From mainstream Americas rising interest
in Asian food to generational changes within
immigrant families, Rhee Bros is committed
to delivering authentic and quality Asian food
products to all of our customers. We look forward
to growing while remaining true to our history.
Finally, I want to take this opportunity to thank
all of our customers and employees, past and
present, for their support over the past 35 years.
You have made Rhee Bros what it is today and
we have been incredibly lucky to have you.
Your continued support is an honor and we
hope for more of it in the years to come.

Syngman Steve Rhee

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

05
Our history
ceo message

06

07

the rhee bros

difference

international
sourcing network

PASSION IS WHAT DRIVES US

INTERGRITY AND AUTHENTICITY SET US APART.
COMMUNITY AND TEAMWORK BRING US TOGETHER.
international
offices

Accountability

KOREA
R&G Corp
309-3 Gungnae-dong,
Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si,
Gyeonggi-do, Korea
Tel : (82) 31-711-1232
Fax : (82) 31-726-0202
www.assifood.co.kr
JAPAN
New Japan Food Corp
4-18, 4-Chome,
Kitanagasa-Dori,
Chuo-Ku, Kobe, Japan
Tel : (81) 78-333-4331
Fax : (81) 78-333-4334

Community

We are guided by a genuine passion to

deliver a taste of home to our customers.
From our founder to each one of our
employees, we understand the lifestyles
of immigrant families, because we come
from immigrant families. Our experiences
inspire us to work together to bring the
very best products from Asia directly to
your dinner table.

Connected to the Global Community

International Sourcing
Network

worldwide. We achieve this global reach through

local partnerships and personal presence.

With products sourced from over 20

different countries, an integral place
in emerging US markets and offices
in Korea, Japan and China, Rhee
Bros is truly a citizen of the world.

Staying Local to Go Global

From Argentina to Vietnam, Rhee Bros sources

its products from over 20 different countries

We maintain offices in Korea, Japan, and China.

These facilities allow us to keep up with local
trends. They also provide us opportunities to
gather important information on products, meet
directly with manufacturers for quality checks
and negotiate the very best prices.

CHINA
ARECO Co. Ltd
Lenggezhuangcun,
Renzhao Town, Pingdu City,
Shandong Province, China
Tel : (86) 532-8337-9000
Fax : (86) 532-8337-4989

Customer
COUNTRIES WE SOURCE FROM

Mission

Vision

Values

To provide authentic,
delicious, high-quality
Asian food to our
customers.

To become the
preferred Asian food
company in the US.

Accountability
Community
Customer

Intergrity

Intergrity
Innovation
Teamwork

Argentina
Australia
Brazil
Canada
China
Chile

Denmark
Germany
Hong Kong
India
Indonesia
Japan

Korea
Malaysia
Mexico
New Zealand
Norway
Pakistan

Peru
Philippines
Russia
Senegal
Singapore
Taiwan

Thailand
United Kingdom
Uruguay
Vietnam

08

09

the rhee bros

difference

CORE STRENGTHS

Ready and Able

Were focused on providing the best possible
products at the best possible prices.
RHEE BROS
DISTRIBUTION
CENTERS
BALTIMORE
Rhee Bros., Inc
7461 Coca Cola Drive
Hanover, MD 21076
Tel : (410) 381-9000
Fax : (410) 381-4989
www.rheebros.com
LOS ANGELES
Korean Farm, Inc
DISTRIBUTION AFFILIATE
12500 E. Slauson Ave. #B1A
Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670
Tel : (562) 789-9988
Fax : (562) 789-4989
www.koreanfarm.com
CHICAGO
Assi Depot
7545 N Natchez Ave.
Niles, IL 60714
Tel : (847) 588-2750

Core Strengths

Throughout our 35-year history, Rhee

Bros has achieved success through
understanding our customers needs
and providing the best products at the
best possible prices. Weve complied an
exhaustive range of offerings and built a
flexible, reliable network to deliver these
products to our customers.
Strength in Diversity
We believe that product diversity is strength. For
this reason, were focused on achieving maximum
depth and breadth in our product lines.
Rhee Bros is the only Asian food company to
carry authentic, top-quality products from every
major Asian cuisine, including Korean, Chinese,
Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, and Filipino. Each
country is represented by a combination of
outstanding, iconic national brands, in addition
to our own private brands. To add to our diversity,
we also carry dry, refrigerated and frozen food, as
well as non-food items. To top it all off, we supply
a wide variety of fresh Asian produce, frozen meat
and seafood products to customers across the
country. All told, we carry over 10,000 SKUs to fit
every possible need and taste.

been able to achieve recognition and success,

particularly with our Assi brand. As one of the very
few Asian food companies that can truly say its
private brands can compete with national ones,
were uniquely positioned in the global market.
Strength in the Network
We also believe that youre only as good as your
distribution network.
Through various partnerships and subsidiaries,
Rhee Bros has built a solid platform for product
delivery. Currently, our distribution network covers
over 1,600 accounts throughout the US and
over 30 countries worldwide. In the US alone,
Rhee Bros and its distribution partners have over
500,000 sq. ft. combined of dry, refrigerated and
frozen storage spread across four distribution
centers located in Baltimore, Los Angeles,
Chicago, and Atlanta.
We also operate our own fleet of trucks and utilize
many other forms of transportation to reach
our customers. By operating our own fleet, we
improve customer service through distribution
flexibility. Whether located in large urban centers
or small towns where no other Asian distributor
sells, were dedicated to getting our products into
the hands of the people who love them.

Strength in Private Brands

ATLANTA
Assi Depot
1025 Raco Ct. #D
Lawrenceville, GA 30024

Innovative from the start, Rhee Bros was one of

the first Asian food companies to carry branded
products in the US.
Initially, many food items from Asia were either
homemade or locally made instead of carrying
unifying brands. By adding labels and keeping
promises on quality and pricing, we have

COUNTRIES WE DISTRIBUTE TO
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Brazil
Canada
Costa Rica
China

Chile
Czech Republic
Ecuador
El Salvador
France
Guam
Guatemala

Germany
Ghana
Honduras
Hungary
Ireland
Japan
Korea

Lithuania
Mexico
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Nigeria
Norway

Palau
Samoa
Slovakia
Ukraine
United Kingdom

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the rhee bros

difference

OUR CUSTOMERS

the heart of our business

Retail establishments and restaurants put our products
onto the plates of over a million customers per year.
As a wholesaler and
distributor, we are
always looking for
new ways to put our
customers first. And
weve got a lot of

our Customers

Our primary accounts are Asian

retailers in the US and abroad, but
we also distribute to restaurants,
wholesalers, US supermarket chains,
foodservice and manufacturers.

customers-Rhee Bros
services over 1,600

Retail

accounts worldwide.

US-based Asian retail establishments are the

foundation of our business. These stores, which
can be found in major metropolitan areas like New
York, Atlanta and Los Angeles, as well as smaller
cities like Nashville and El Paso, range from over
140,000 sq. ft. to less than 5,000 sq. ft. in size.
Additionally, as Asian food becomes more popular
in mainstream America, major national grocery
chains like Costco, HEB and Giant Foods have
begun carrying our products.

Mainstream US Customers
Demand for Asian food is on the rise in
mainstream America. Whether as a healthy diet
alternative or a trendy dining choice, more and
more Americans are consuming Asian food at
home and in restaurants.
Rhee Bros has invested resources to meet this
demand. Our success at the retail and food
service level is largely due to our ability to supply
products from so many different Asian cuisines.
Some of our past and present customers include:
Costco, HEB, Fiesta, Giant, Shoppers Food
Warehouse, Heinz, PF Changs, Pei Wei

Food Service
Rhee Bros offers a wide variety of food service
items for independent restaurants and major
chains.
When it comes to food service, our motto is, If
we dont have it, we can source it. On the off
chance that a certain item is missing from our
inventory, our sourcing network allows us to reach
out to one of our thousands of vendors to find
just the right product. We also have the flexibility
to custom prepare orders, from ingredients to
packaging.

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private brands

brands

assi | Korean Our flagship brand for over 30 years, the Assi brand exemplifies the top tier of Korean
food. The Korean word assi comes from the traditional title for a young, sophisticated women. In keeping
with the refined style of this brand, all of our products are made using traditional Korean techniques with
only the best ingredients to ensure maximum satisfaction.
Emperor | Chinese Just as an emperor rules from on high, our Emperor brand is comprised of only the
most superior Chinese products. We hand-pick the top manufacturers to showcase their traditional recipes
within this product line.
Evergreen | US Evergreen is by far our most varied brand, covering a wide range of healthy products
for everyday use. Drizzle our olive oil on fresh bread. Use our powdered honey in cakes and cookies.
Evergreen is there for you whenever you need it.
EZ Life | Household Goods We know that these days, everyone leads a busy life. Our EZ Life products
are convenient, durable household goods designed to make cooking easier without sacrificing quality. Our
chopsticks and rice cookers are sure to improve your kitchen experience.
HANA | Japanese Hana was our first Japanese private brand that we created over 25 years ago.
Interestingly enough, Hana comes from the Japanese word for flower or the Korean word for number one.
Due to it's creative name and history, Hana products have been recognized and trusted by a wide number
of customers. On your next visit to the supermarket, try some miso or soba noddles made by Hana. You'll
think they're number one too.
Han Kuk Mi | Rice Han Kuk Mi is our original line of premium rice products. It also happens to be one
of the oldest brands from the Sacramento Valley in California. Han Kuk Mi includes a wide variety of table
rice, from sushi to organic varieties. Ideal for personal and food service needs, all Han Kuk Mi products
come from the highest quality rice.

brands

Jongga Vision | Korean In Korean, jongga vision means to pass on traditional family secrets.
Since everyone knows that the most delicious recipes are often kept under wraps, we developed this
brand to showcase high quality products that are at the heart of every Korean meal. Well let you in on a
little secret: the very best of Koreas traditions can be found in our Jongga Vision products.

Whether assembling carefully curated private

product lines or reselling national ones, our 35
years of experience with brands and branding is an
important aspect of our work.
private brands
For 35 years, weve carefully selected products for our
private brands to reflect the highest quality and the best
possible prices.
Our 14 private brands include Korean, Japanese, Chinese,
Vietnamese, Thai, and American cuisine, as well as a
number of non-food items. These brands provide Rhee
Bros both stability and flexibility in the marketplace. We
hope you enjoy them as much as we enjoy creating them.

national brands
In addition to our own private brands, we carry a range
of popular national brands that cover Korean, Japanese,

Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, and Filipino cuisine. In many

cases, Rhee Bros is the exclusive distributor in the US for
these brands.
Rhee Bros is able to maintain strong relationships with
these highly regarded international brands through
constant sales growth and our ability to merchandize in a
wide variety of markets.

Kabuto | Japanese The word kabuto, which describes a samurais helmet in Japanese, is laden with
history. Accordingly, our Kabuto brand includes Japanese food products used during the legendary Shogun
era. Each product has been carefully crafted with traditional methods to ensure authenticity and quality.
Organic Ranch | Organic Eating organic is more than a fad; its a healthy choice. From sauces to miso paste,
all of our Organic Ranch products have been certified by the USDA to meet or exceed international standards.
Rhee Chun Rice | Rice In Korean, chun means one thousand. We named our choicest rice Rhee
Chun to invoke a thousand years of tradition and our love of good food. Whether you use it for sushi or
any other meal, you will find unparalleled quality, flavor and value. Weve also been growing Rhee Chun in
the fertile Sacramento Valley for over 30 years. If thats not tradition, were not sure what is.
Three Elephants | Thai Elephants have always been revered in Thailand, which is why we created
our Three Elephants brand to include only the finest Thai products. From rice sticks to fish sauce, we know
youll hold Three Elephants products in high regard.
Viet Way | Vietnamese Our newest private brand, Viet Way represents staple Vietnamese items used in
everyday food preparation. From fish sauce to rice noodles, we created Viet Way to embody an authentic
Vietnamese cooking experience.
Wild Sea | Seafood We believe that the best seafood comes directly from the coldest parts of the
ocean. Accordingly, our Wild Sea brand, which includes seafood of all kinds, is sourced fresh from the
ocean and HACCP-accredited facilities.
Yissine | Korean Yissine, from the surname of the Rhee family, has become synonymous with the
special Korean products our family has loved over the years. From rice cakes that are eaten on New Years
to cold noodles enjoyed on a hot summer day, were confident that Yissine products will become a fast
favorite of yours too, if they arent already.

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products

Rhee Bros is a leader in

Asian food wholesale and
distribution. Through our
own distribution network
and partnerships with
other distributors, we
are able to serve a wide
variety of customers
throughout the world.

A One Stop Source

From Korean to Chinese, from Japanese to Thai, Rhee
Bros is the only Asian distributor that carries products
that span every major Asian food category.
While our history is rooted in Korean food, weve made
it a priority to expand our offerings to include every
major Asian cuisine. We pride ourselves in being a one
stop source for Asian products.

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products

From tofu to pickled vegetables, our

line of refrigerated goods not only
demonstrates the breadth of our
products, but also the strength of
the Rhee Bros supply chain.

korean
Flours, grains, noodles, rice,
sauces, canned goods, snacks; Rhee
Bros carries an exhaustive line of
foodstuffs that line retail shelves
and food service pantries.

Soy Sauce & Bean Paste

Sauces

Pickled & Salted Food

Seasonings

Rice cake

Dried Vegetable & Seafood

Tofu

Grains & Powder

Fresh Noodles

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products

Delivering a taste of home,

We're committed to bringing you
a taste that reminds you of home,
no matter where you are now.

korean

Rice

COFFEE & TEA

Cookies & Snacks

Dried Noodles

Frozen Seafood

Frozen & Refrigerated Produce

Instant Food

Instant Noodles

Frozen Instant Food

FROZEN Dumplings

Fishcake

Frozen food

Refrigerated Seafood

Ice Cream

Canned Food

GENERAL BEVERAGES

TRADITIONAL Beverages

GENERAL MERCHANDISE

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products

Rhee Bros carries an

exhaustive line of foodstuffs
that line retail shelves and
food service pantries.

japanese

Japanese Food

Managing the delivery of

perishable products in a network
that extends across continents
demands decades of experience.

REFRIGERATED FOOD

DRIED FOOD

DRIED & CANNED SEAFOOD

FROZEN FOOD

SAUCES

COOKIES & SNACKS

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products

chinese

Southeast Asia

From Korean to Chinese, from Japanese

While our history is rooted in Korean

to Thai, Rhee Bros is the only Asian

food, weve made it a priority to expand

distributor that carries products that

our offerings to include every major

span every major Asian food category.

Asian cuisine.

DRIED FOOD

DRIED FOOD

SAUCES & CANNED FOOD

SAUCES & CANNED FOOD

FROZEN FOOD

FROZEN FOOD

24

25
North Wales, PA

Retail Affiliates

Flushing, NY
Niles, IL

With 11 retail affiliates in seven states from California to New York, our customers can benefit
from finding the full line of Rhee Bros products at competitive prices no matter where they live.

assi plaza
Ellicott City, MD
Germantown, MD
Silver Spring, MD
Chantilly, VA
Fairfax, VA

Los Angeles, CA

Duluth, GA
Suwanee, GA

Location key

Duluth, GA

Suwanee, GA

Flushing, NY

1630 Pleasant Hill Road

Duluth, GA 30096
770-921-4989

1291 Old Peachtree Road

Suwanee, GA 30024
770-813-1500

131-01 39th Ave.

Flushing, NY 11354
718-321-8000

Los Angeles, CA

Niles, IL

North WALES, PA

3525 8th Street

Los Angeles, CA 90005
213-388-0900

8901 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Niles, IL 60714
847-470-9450

1222 Welsh Road

North Wales, PA 19454
215-631-9400

Chantilly, VA

Fairfax, VA

Ellicott City, MD

13955 Metrotech Drive

Chantilly, VA 20151
703-488-6600

3250 Old Lee Highway

Fairfax, VA 22030
703-352-8989

8801 Baltimore National Pike

Ellicott City, MD 21043
410-750-9656

GERMANTOWN, MD

Silver Spring, MD

13069 Wisteria Drive

Germantown, MD 20874
301-916-0757

13625-A Georgia Ave.

Silver Spring, MD 20906
301-962-3355

assi
lotte

Retail Affiliates
Since 1989, Rhee Bros has been proud to have a strong
retail relationship with Lotte Plaza and Assi Plaza.
Our affiliation with these establishments has given
us a unique position in the world of retail.

ASSI PLAZA

LOTTE PLAZA

Assi Plaza changed the face of the Asian market by building

large, modern supermarkets with a vast array of international
produce, seafood, and grocery products. Breaking with
the antiquated image of the mom and pop store, the Assi
Plaza in Duluth, GA is currently the largest Asian store in
the US, with a gross area of over 140,000 sq. ft. Every Assi
Plaza is a one-stop shopping experience where customers
can take a culinary tour of Asia, support various independent
vendors and eat at authentic Asian restaurants.

Lotte Plaza opened in 1989 in Rockville and quickly

expanded to five stores in the Baltimore and Washington
DC metropolitan area. The stores original mission was
to serve the Korean community in Maryland and Virginia,
but has since adapted to meet the needs of a more
international community. Today, every Lotte Plaza serves
a diverse ethnic population, providing produce, seafood,
meat and grocery items from Korea, China, Taiwan,
Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, and India.

www.assiplaza.net

www.lotteplaza.com

lotte plaza

From Our
Family to Yours
Innovation is important; so is tradition. At Rhee
Bros, we keep both the future and the past in mind,
producing products that honor our heritage, while
meeting the demands of a changing market.

7461 Coca Cola Drive

Hanover, MD 21076 U.S.A.
Tel: 410.381.9000 Fax: 410.381.4989
www. rheebros.com

korean farm, inc.

12500 E. Slauson Avenue. Unit B1A
Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670 U.S.A.
Tel: 562.789.9988 Fax: 562.789.4989
www.koreanfarm.com